Silver Lining
by VeelaChic
Summary: In the end, each cloud has its own Silver Lining: a collection of oneshots based on the characters of Dreamfall: The Longest Journey. Majority will be KianApril. Rated for safety.
1. Piano

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Longest Journey. **

Hey guys, for those of you who don't know me, which is probably everyone 'cause there are only 11 fics (well now 12) in this category, I'm Veela. My sister and I recently finished The Longest Journey so I decided to write a collection of one-shots based on the game. You will find that the majority are KianxApril, because I mean, how cute are they?

Most of them are romantic comedies. But this one is one of my deeper pieces. They all will vary. But, I hope you like them. Enjoy!

**Piano **

He'd been like that since they'd arrived. Quiet. Distant. She wasn't sure why.

The Journey Man was a lot quieter now, without the hustle-and-bustle of people coming in out. Well, people still come in and out, but not in the same way.

Once, it had been warm, open, friendly. Benrime would sit behind the bar serving drinks to travelers passing in and out. There was always a fire in the grate to heat the small tavern in the cold winters of Marcuria. There was usually card games and banter among folk. It was the closest thing she had to home in Arcadia. They would all meet upstairs. Her, Chawan, Brynn…Na'ane. Times were hard, but her home was still there. It's still there now, but…not in the same way…

It was cold, they weren't allowed to light a fire. That would alert the Azadi, and that was one thing that couldn't happen at this point and time. The lighting was dim, so that it wouldn't be seen through the boarded up windows of the tavern.

In a way the tavern suited her. Cold, boarded up. She couldn't remember it being like this before…

She preferred the _old_ Journey Man.

They moved in here after the incident at the pier. She remembered cold, dark, falling into water that chilled her to the bone.

If Chawan and Byrnn hadn't…

…well, she didn't want to think about that. That was not longer relevant.

The pain had been unbearable. If Na'ane hadn't stayed…if she hadn't used her brand of magic to save her. She didn't know what would become of Marcuria…the Journey Man…him.

Things between her and Na'ane were alright, but…not the same. She no longer could trust the witch in the same way; their boat had sprung a leak.

Rescuing him was…hard. They high-jacked one of the air-ships to Sadir. His trial had been denied. Vamon had seen to that. He was to be sent to Friars Keep, to await execution there. However, having broken into the prison once before, it wasn't that difficult to get him out. However, now that they were all wanted criminals, they could hardly go out and recruit during the sun. Things had become…harder.

That was a fortnight ago.

They had moved into the Journey Man. Through a pathway some of the Rebellion had built for them that lead from a few places in Marcuria to the Journey Man. Only the most trusted knew about the passages.

Certain spells had been placed around and inside the tavern. So that they could make noise and remain unheard. With so many conflicting personalities under the same roof it wasn't hard for booming arguments to occur. Roper Klacks offered to help with the spells. He still remained in the ghetto.

They all had specific rooms assigned. April and Benrime had their own rooms. Kian roomed with Chawan and Brynn, neither of which was too keen on the idea but begrudgingly accepted the once-Azadi into their quarters. Na'ane too had her own quarters.

It was beginning to feel a bit more comfortable. Not by much, but…it was enough. It still didn't have the same warmth.

That was until Brynn had found it…

An old battered piano that lay on the side of the street from a newly evicted family. More families were being evicted now, a few every week. Brynn felt guilty taking it but it couldn't be just left there to get old and rust. He snuck it in under the cover of moonfall. He slipped in through the passages with the help of Chawan. Benrime had been reluctant to take it in, however agreed in the end.

It was placed in the room adjacent to main room, the one that contained the stairs that led to above. However, seeing as no one knew what to do with it, it was just left there in the corner for a bit that was until he discovered it.

She heard it as she woke up in the middle of night a few days ago. A faint sound, she would have dismissed it if it hadn't been for the fact that the tavern was usually filled with an eerie silence at night. A silence she had not grown quite accustomed to yet.

She padded out in her room, only making that gentle sound of leather combat boots across rickety floor boards. However if he was alerted to her presence on the top of the stairs he didn't show it, he just kept playing.

It was slow and gentle, not quite mournful, but somewhat sad. He fingers moved across the white keys quickly but with a certain grace that Kian always seemed to display. His light blue eyes concentrated on the keys as he played, slow and sad.

She wasn't sure if she should go closer, or risk him stopping. So, she just stood at the top of the landing, listening, taking in his sound.

It was sweet, like chamomile tea, soothing, calm. The tavern was always warmer when he played.

She wasn't sure if the others knew of his secret night concerts. Until, one night she was unable to sleep and heard the sweet playing of the piano, only to find Brynn sitting on one of the steps, listening. They just sat there for the rest of the night. Words need not pass between them.

She wanted to ask him where he had learned to play. How a once-feared Azadi solider could learn such a skill. But she never quite worked up the courage. Not knowing seemed to bring much more calm, they didn't need to talk about it.

He'd been doing that since then. Playing at night. She would always go up the stairs before he would turn and find her sitting there. She wasn't sure what type of situation that would be. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know. At least, not just yet.

Eventually his music became not quite as sad, but just as warm.

The tavern was always warmer when he played.

**This is my first time writing for The Longest Journey, so give me feedback!**


	2. Conversation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dreamfall: The Longest Journey.**

I wrote this for my sister for Christmas, it's a conversation between Kian and April. Not very good, but hopefully still cute. 

**Conversation**

_Tap, tap, tap.._

April Ryan tapped her quill angrily against the side of her desk. 

…_tap, tap, tap… _

'_Stupid, annoying, aggravating, mean-guy-Azadi-thing'_ she thought angrily. 

…_tap, tap, tap…_

"Yes?" came annoyed voice from the other side of the large tent. 

"Oh I'm sorry," said April in a falsely sweet voice, "was I disturbing you?" 

The man furrowed his brows, creating creases in his dark visage, "slightly." 

"My apologies," she said turning back towards the map she had been working on previously. 

"I can't help but wonder…" started the man again, "If you find yourself annoyed by me?" There was a trace of a smirk in his voice. 

"Annoyed?" she asked through gritted teeth, "Why would I be annoyed?" 

"April we really should talk about this…" 

"Talk about what?" she asked, raising her voice slightly, her patience with the once-Azadi ebbing away. 

"I didn't mean to override your decision, it's just that your methods – ." 

"- And what about my methods?" and April indignantly, rising from her seat, "They worked fine for everyone before you decided to switch sides and undermine my authority." 

"You were the one that showed me to your side," he said rising as well, "You were the one that showed me the error of my ways. So, do not stand there and be angry with me for choosing your side." 

"Kian, I'm not mad at you for choosing our side," she said, cooling slightly. 

Kian looked taken back, "Well… ohkay…" 

"I'm mad at you for thinking you can control it!" 

Kian laughed, "So now it comes out. You are worried about losing your authority to a lowly Azadi?"

"I am not worried about losing my authority! My men would follow me into Sadir itself if I asked them!" 

"Then _why_ do you find yourself so vexed with me!" he asked angrily. 

"Because! Because…" she said, searching for a reason, "because I can't tell you!" She said sticking out her tongue at the man to emphasize her point. 

"Is it because I was once Azadi?" he asked slowly. 

"No, it's not because you were an Azadi, Kian. As I've told you before."

"Is it because you find yourself attracted to me?"

"I-what!" she said looking up from her map abruptly, "What did you say?"

"Nothing," said Kian innocently.

"No Kian, what did you say?"

"Nothing, it doesn't matter." 

"I'm not attracted to you, don't be silly Kian. I have no reason to be," she said sitting back down at her desk. "Which troops do you think we should send with the medicine to Marcuria?" 

"I am never going to understand you, am I?" he asked smirking. 

"Not many people do," said April under her breath. 

"That is not a 'no'," he said, hearing her. He smiled again. 

"It's not a 'yes' either," she said not looking up from her map. She could feel her cheeks growing warm. 

"We have time," he said settling back to his desk. 

"If you think so," said April, rolling her brown eyes. 

"And I think that time would go much easier-." 

"If what?" asked April looking up from her map, raising an eyebrow. 

"If you just admitted you're infatuated with me," he said smirking. 

"I-What!" gasped April, shocked. "Let's get this straight _Azadi_. I am not, and never will be infatuated with you. Understand?" 

"If you think so," he said mimicking her words. 

"You are so infuriating," she said through clenched teeth. 

"Yes," he said, "I think Brynn's troops could handle the load of medicine, they've been training." 

"I'm not attracted to you," she said glaring at the piece of parchment where her map was drawn. 

"What does that have to do with the load of medicine?" he asked, looking up.

"Nothing," she said flushing, "I'm just saying I'm not." 

"So noted," he said nodding, "About the shipment. -." 

"- Plus, you and I wouldn't work out at all," she interrupted, "We think differently." 

"That could be a problem." 

"Yea-what?" she asked, startled, "Why would that be a problem?" 

"Because I suppose we would disagree," he said shrugging. 

"But sometimes disagreement is good," she said, furrowing her dark eyebrows, "It opens up the mind."

"Which is good." 

"No, we still wouldn't work." 

He laughed, "And why is that?" 

"Because, you're too calm." 

"Pardon?" he asked raising an eyebrow. 

"Our child would be a wuss." 

"Wuss? I'm sorry I don't understa-." 

"I mean they would get picked on." 

Kian blinked, "So," he said slowly, "let me get this straight. We wouldn't work because our child would be picked on." 

"Yes."

"But you and I have both been leaders; our child would be strong-willed." 

She mulled over this, "I suppose." 

"So we would work?" 

"No." 

"Because you're attracted to me?" he asked. 

"Yes." 

He smirked. 

April flushed, "No, wait!" 

**Review! **


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